Humanity and a Job
by jedimasterstar
Summary: Sequel to "A New Path".  The Human Doctor is still trying to understand what it means to be human.  Rose is not helping much.  Though Pete makes an interesting offer.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Doctor Who_. The BBC does. I'm just helping the Human Doctor to grow.

**Summary:** The Human Doctor is still trying to understand what it means to be human. Rose is not helping much. Though Pete makes an interesting offer.

**A/N:** This is a sequel to my one-shot "A New Path".

* * *

Learning to be human was not as easy as he thought it would be. He was just so use to traveling and constantly moving that actually _slowing down_ was not something he was use to doing. _This is going to take some getting use to,_ thought the Doctor, now going by the name of John Steven Chesterton, his middle and last name taken after two of his early companions. He wanted to honor his companions in some way, and Ian and Steven were two who had the most impact on him.

Rose, on the other hand, was trying to change him in what she thought he should be. Trying to dress him like his counterpart, trying to make him talk like him, trying to get him to sleep with her – she was driving him nuts! He wanted to be his own person; yet _that_ does not seem to be in her vocabulary. _I'm glad I decided to stay with Pete and Jackie. Who knows what would have happened_, he thought. He did not think that Rose was capable of violence, but this morning changed that…

_Flashback_

"_What is wrong with you?" demanded Rose as she paced the living room of the Tyler mansion. Pete had taken Tony out to the playground for a play date, which just left Jackie and John at the house. Rose came over not too long after he left. They were sitting in the living room when she asked this._

"_What are you talking about?" he asked. He knew what she meant – he just did not want to provoke her._

_The fire in her eyes grew as she replied, "You know what I mean. Why can't you just be more like him?"_

_He just stared into her eyes and asked, "Why? Why should I act more like him? Don't I have a say in my own life? And since when have you become my boss?"_

"_Since the Doctor left you in my care. It is my job to make sure that you turn out right."_

"_I turn out right?"_

"_Yes," she replied, smugness evident in her voice._

_John just shook his head. "I don't think that that was what he meant," he told her._

"_Oh?"_

_He sighed and said, "You are meant to calm me down and make me think straight. He did NOT mean to make me over. He knows the importance of individuality and would want me to grow as my own person. Not as your own fantasy man."_

_When he said that, Rose's face turned bright red and punched him. Hard across the face. "Who cares about what you want," she said as he held his broken nose, "you are just a _clone_. Not even a person. What do you expect to accomplish? You won't be able to do _anything_ without me. You don't know the first thing about being human. Not an alien. Not a human. So what are you?" She then turned and left without saying anything else._

_All John could do was just sit there, not knowing what to say. Rose was right, in a sense. He had no idea what he was. "Now, don't let Rose upset you," Jackie told him, placing her hand on his arm as she tried to examine his nose. "She has been like this ever since she got left here again. You have to tell her why."_

"_After I destroy the cannon."_

"_Fine, but then tell her. Or she may end up doing something that we are going to regret."_

_John nodded. But he knew that he needed to prove Rose wrong. And if he needed help, he'll find it somewhere else._

_End Flashback_

What is human? What does it mean to be human? Oh, he knew that he was going to age and die; but what does it truly mean to be human? That was what he was going to have to figure out if he was going to be able to best Rose. _First thing I'm going to have to do is to combine both sides of me,_ he thought. He had to combine to part of him that was Donna and the part that was the Doctor. Donna is easy; but the Doctor is proving most difficult. But he was determined to control it. "Doctor?" came the voice of Pete Tyler as he walked into the library. The Doctor nodded in acknowledgment. "Everything alright?" Pete asked.

"Oh, peachy. Fine as rain," John replied sarcastically. But it was not.

Pete sat down next to him and said, "Jackie told me what happened this morning. Don't let Rose get to you."

All John could do was sit there in silence. He knew what Pete was trying to do, but he was not interested in hearing it. "What am I?" he asked forlornly.

"Unique. A new being that has a whole new world in front of him. One who is able to make his own choices and act on them," answered Pete. Putting a reassuring hand on his back, he continued, "You'll find out what it means to be human someday. Even us humans are still figuring that out."

John smiled weakly at him and said, "Thanks."

"No problem. But, to business," he returned as he got up and straightened his suit. "Now, I have recently made the decision to demote Rose from her position as R&D director. Everyone is upset with her trying to destroy this universe; so I figured that a new face was needed," he started to explain.

"What is going to happen to her?"

"Oh, I'm thinking a nice janitorial job would be good for her at the moment," Pete replied. John snickered. He somehow found that amazingly funny. Pete smiled and added, "I am currently thinking about giving the position to you."

John looked at him in shock. "Me?" he inquired.

"Yes. You are more than qualified; and I know that you won't abuse your position. What do you think?"

John just sat there for a moment. Would he be able to be R&D director? He wanted to do it, but he was nervous. "I don't know, Pete."

"And I won't let you do it alone. I have a friend who owes me a favor. She is more than capable of being your assistant director. Though, you may need to give her more time to catch up on the science end," Pete continued. Seeing John's curious look, he explained, "She's an archaeologist and an adventurer. You're kind of person, actually. She's been bored recently and needs something to do."

John just stared and thought, _Should I do it?_ He liked the fact that he was going to have some help and that Pete would most likely keep Rose away from him. "I guess I'll give it a try," he answered.

Pete beamed with happiness. "Good. I'll let the other division directors know," he said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a board meeting to attend over at Vitex." With that, he turned and walked out.

_A good beginning as I am going to get_, thought John as he thought. What a interesting way to find out what it means to be human.


End file.
